Economic Impact

The economic impact hunters, anglers and other outdoor enthusists have on Arizona's economy is very substantial. To learn more about these impacts, view the reports below:

The Economic Importance of Hunting and Fishing
Fishing and hunting recreation generates spending that has a powerful effect on Arizona’s economy. More than 255,000 anglers spend an estimated $831.5 million on equipment and trip-related expenditures annually. Hunters, more than 135,000 of them, account for an additional $126.5 million in retail sales. This combined $958 million in spending creates an economic impact of $1.34 billion to the state of Arizona. Furthermore, this spending supports more than 17,000 jobs, provides residents with $314 million in salary and wages and generates more than $58 million in state tax revenue. The following report prepared by Arizona State University, School of Management presents a detailed economic analysis on the impacts that fishing and hunting recreation generate at the state and individual county levels.

The Economic Importance of Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation
Off-highway vehicle recreation activity is an immensely powerful part of the Arizona collective economic fabric, generating nearly $3 billion in retail sales during 2002. While this spending figure is impressive it becomes even more so through consideration of ‘ripple’ or multiplier effects. Each dollar spent by an individual engaged in off-highway vehicle (OHV) recreation increases another person’s income, enabling that person (or business) to spend more, which in turn increases income for someone else. The process continues to circulate throughout the economy until it is dissipated through ‘leakages’ in the form of savings or payments for goods and services from outside the local economy. In the end, the cumulative changes in spending, incomes and employment are a multiple of the initial retail sales spending. The following report prepared by Arizona State University, School of Management presents a detailed economic analysis on the impacts that Off-Highway Vehicle recreation generate at the state and individual county levels.

Economic Impact Analysis for Noncomsumptive Wildlife-Related Recreation in Arizona
Expenditures made by watchable wildlife recreationists generate rounds of additional spending through the economy. This results in numerous direct, indirect, and induced impacts. The sum of these impacts is the total economic impact resulting from the original expenditures. These economic figures show the total economic effect from 2001 watchable wildlife activities in Arizona to be $1.5 billion. In addition, watchable wildlife recreation supports over 15,000 jobs in the state, providing total household income near $430 million and generates over $57 million in state taxes. The following report prepared by Southwick Associates, using data provided in the National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Associated Recreation, presents a detailed economic analysis on the impacts that watchable wildlife recreation generate at the state and individual county levels.

The National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation
The National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation has been conducted about every five years since 1955. It provides information on the number of participants in fishing, hunting, and wildlife watching (observing, photographing, and feeding wildlife), and the amount of time and money spent on these activities.

The Survey is one of the Nation's most important wildlife recreation databases. It is the only source of comprehensive information on participation and expenditures that is comparable on a state-by-state basis. It is used for estimating the economic impact of wildlife-related recreation for each state; for estimating the value of wildlife resources lost due to pollution or disease such as whirling disease in fish; for use in critical habitat analysis of threatened species; and for preparing environmental impact statements, budgets, and legislative proposals.